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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26006758">Unspoken Words</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletKnox/pseuds/VioletKnox'>VioletKnox</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Established Relationship, F/M, Female Reader, Fluff, Moonlight, Nifflers, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive, Slytherin Reader, Stars, Young Snape, faires</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:21:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26006758</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletKnox/pseuds/VioletKnox</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With the last few months of your time at Hogwarts coming to an end, you plan a night under the stars with your boyfriend Severus.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Severus Snape/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Luminous</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part of Moonie's Writing Challenge on tumblr. </p><p>Prompt:  “If we get caught, it’s your fault!”</p><p>A/N: Phew. There were moments where I thought I wouldn’t be able to get this out in time but I’m so glad I was able to do it! It was a bit rushed (it’s been a long month), but hopefully when the semester ends, part 2 will come out a little quicker (and maybe written better &gt;.&lt;). Thank you @moonie-writes for your support and your patience! I hope it turned out alright.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If there was one thing you’d regretted most during your Hogwarts years, it was definitely your lack of adventure. The castle alone held such historic and powerful stories within its walls, it was a shame you hadn’t explored every crevice, every hidden passageway and appreciated just how much magic flowed through every stone the last seven years you spent in this majestic school. You’d missed out on a lot and to make it worse, you were mere months away from graduating, months away from leaving Hogwarts behind forever. All you’d cared about the first five years of school spending each night studying in the depths of the library, was your reputation and your academia. Knowledge is power as they say, but for you, it was much more than that. Knowledge opened doors, kept your options wide. Knowledge was a comfort for you because books could never let you down. Of course, it was no surprise to anyone that you’d found yourself taking as many N.E.W.T classes as you could the last two years, not even your boyfriend who seemed to be the only person to support your thirst for academics. </p><p>Naturally, you were teased within your own house for your obsession with books and your need to expand your horizon, but you knew the Sorting Hat placed you in Slytherin for a reason. <em>‘Strong mind, a great need to prove yourself. Yes, plenty of potential, indeed…’</em> You were almost positive you’d be placed in Slytherin and clearly the Sorting Hat shared the same sentiment, but you couldn’t help your doubts rise every time someone pointed out your affinity for knowledge or the fact that your test scores ranked highest of your year, above any Ravenclaw. It wasn’t until you’d met Severus, hidden in the darkest corner of the library with so many books stacked around him, it sort of appeared as if he was using them as building blocks for a wall to separate him and the rest of Hogwarts. He was closed off at first when you started speaking to one another, but you didn’t mind. You were happy spending your time together in silence as you both studied. Severus never knew how overjoyed you were to find another Slytherin just as invested in books as you were. You wouldn’t have minded if you never spoke to each other after that first encounter, you were just happy to know you weren’t alone. The simple knowledge that your passions were shared with one of your housemates was enough to keep you smiling. </p><p>But if neither of you spoke to the other after that evening, you would have missed out on yet another milestone during your days at Hogwarts, one that it seemed Severus had been searching for long before anyone else at this school. Finding someone you could enjoy the company of, trust with your heart, someone to give you hope. It was an experience no one should ever miss out on and you were glad that you’d at the very least managed to find your other half during your time here. Your studies at Hogwarts really wouldn’t have been complete without Severus and tonight, you were hoping to enjoy a very special night with him, a night you’d been looking forward to the last few months as you monitored and studied the stars. </p><p>“This is ridiculous.” The greeting your boyfriend gave as soon as you entered his dorm was really much more serene than you’d expected, or at least, his tone was. Usually when he’d protest, he’d be much more firm and demanding, but it seemed this time, his protests fell a bit short. You suspected that this was likely because he was secretly just as excited as you for tonight. Even if he wouldn’t admit it, you could see that twinkle in his eyes when he looked at you as he prepared for your evening. “Why do you even care so much about this?”</p><p>“Because Sev, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!” you said, walking around to stand beside him and take his hands in yours. “Come on! You can’t graduate Hogwarts without sneaking out at least <em>once</em>!”</p><p>You began to soothingly rub small circles into the back of his hand with your thumb, smiling up at him and hoping that would be the end of the long string of protests he’d started ever since you’d brought up the idea of spending a night under the stars with him. The first day you’d brought it up, he looked at you as if you’d gone mad and dismissed it. But of course, you were relentless and continued to bring it up until he’d agreed.  </p><p>“I don’t see why I have to be there. You should go without me,” he said, pulling his hand away, tugging on the sleeve of his robes too short for his lanky arms. </p><p>“No, Sev! I want you there!” You said, hooking a finger under his chin to bring his attention back to you. His eyes still cared so much misplaced shame, so much regret for the way his life had turned out, but you were determined to help rid him of all that and replace it with nothing but admiration and prosperity. “Please?” </p><p>Your soft tone and pleading eyes pierced his heart, as it always had, and he felt himself letting go of any worry or doubt over the plans you’d made for the night. He wondered at times if you’d somehow managed to discover a spell similar to that of the imperius curse, leaving its victim with nothing but trust and love for the person who’d cast it. It would surely explain a lot about the past year he’d spent thinking about nothing but your happiness.  </p><p>With a final reluctant sigh, he grasped at his bedsheets and began folding the topmost layer; a thin green cotton blanket that you’d continuously insisted one of you bring on your little adventure. Despite the fact that he knew you were aware of how much he hated blind risks, you still insisted on keeping it a surprise and it irritated him more than he would ever admit to you that you continued to refuse to share your plan with him. <b>“If we get caught, it’s your fault!” </b></p><p>“Don’t worry,” you said as you took the other end of the blanket and helped him fold it. “I have the perfect spot for us.”</p><p>You finished folding the blanket and Severus took it, holding it over his joint hands. He looked at you and gave a small pout as a final resort which of course, did nothing but make you smile. He knew there was no point in asking, but he just couldn’t help himself. His heart was beating out of his chest in anticipation for tonight and he wanted to feel prepared. “Will you tell me where we’re going now?”</p><p>You sighed and rolled your eyes at him. Crossing your arms, you shifted your weight to one side and gave him a scolding look. “I told you…”</p><p>“It’s a surprise,” you both said in unison, his tone much more venomous than yours. You frowned, never able to get used to his snarky demeanor even after all these years. You’d especially hated it when he’d poke fun of you like that, but you weren’t about to let that get in the way of what you had planned tonight. You were going to enjoy your time and spend a beautiful evening with your <em>loving</em> boyfriend.</p><p>“Please, just a hint?” He tried again, despite knowing the answer. “At least tell me how far we’re going.”</p><p>“No! Now, come on! Almost everyone’s left already!” You pulled on his sleeve and urged him to follow you as you left his dorm. You were tired of his nonsense in all honesty. He should’ve learned by now to trust you and know that you’d never put either of you in danger, yet he still continued to doubt you. You knew when you’d started dating you’d have to stay patient with him. He wasn’t one to stand foolish behaviour and at first, you’d found it quite complimented your outlandish humour, but after a while, his sly comments got a bit tiresome and you wished he’d let loose a little rather than take everything so seriously.</p><p>“Relax Sev, this is going to be fun,” you said, hooking your arm through his, hugging it to your chest as you walked through the nearly empty common room to the exit. The sun had yet to set which gave you plenty of time to sneak out of the castle without being seen. </p><p>Closing the door behind you, the dimmed lights from the torches illuminating the halls, you began to lead Severus towards the Entrance Hall and just when you’d reached the top of the stairs exiting the dungeons, you heard some rather brisk footsteps heading your way. Quickly pulling on Severus’ arm, you silently rushed toward the door near the staircase leading to the basement. Leaving it slightly ajar, you hid in the unknown room, Severus immediately reaching to grab your hand. </p><p>“These bloody children are acting like absolute buffoons!” McGonagall’s voice travelled through the crack between the door you held and its frame. Your heart beat furiously against your chest, praying you wouldn’t get caught when you hadn’t even managed to reach your destination. You could tell Severus’ concern was growing larger than yours as he anxiously squeezed your hand. He’d trusted you and you bloody well was not about to turn around and listen to him whisper ‘I told you so’ when you hadn’t even been caught yet. “Start with the basement and dungeons Filch. I suspect none of us will find sleep tonight.”</p><p>“Of course Professor,” spoke the crinkled voice of the caretaker you’d been lucky enough to avoid getting detention from all these years at Hogwarts. “Mrs. Norris and I will catch any wandering students.”</p><p>Looking down at their feet, you saw a raggedy looking cat glaring in your direction, her eyes piercing yours. Jolting back, you pressed your back against the wall, your palm gripping onto the doorknob as your other hand slipped from Severus’ grasp and wrapping around his shoulder instead, pulling him closer to you. Severus instinctively wrapped an arm around your waist and rested his chin on your shoulder, your fear for the consequences of getting caught shared between you as you both held on to one another.</p><p>The sound of footsteps followed as you heard Filch and McGonagall part ways but neither of you could move a muscle in fear the cat had stuck around in suspicion. You could feel Severus’ breath quicken against your neck, his grip on you tightening and you knew he was upset about the situation you were in. He likely blamed you for it and was about ready to give you a long lecture about how he didn’t want to sneak out in the first place. While you understood his perspective and shared his worry about getting caught, you just couldn’t bear the thought of missing out on yet another adventure if you hadn’t taken the risk and nor could you stand being scolded by him for something that had yet to happen. </p><p>After a few short moments, you slowly looked back through the crack of the door and saw the hall completely empty. Deciding it was safe to continue on your way, you slowly began to push the door open when you felt a hand jolt over yours, stopping you in your tracks.</p><p>“(Y/N), this is a bad idea,” Severus spoke with such vexation in his voice, his hand tightly wrapped around yours like he was about to stop you from making the biggest mistake in your life. “They’re clearly increasing their patrols tonight. We should just head back.”</p><p>Taking your hand off the doorknob, you pushed him back, having just about enough of his attitude. It was within his right to protest of course, but you’d never asked him for much before. You’d always been the one to follow the rules growing up and you were ready to have just a bit of fun before graduating. It would do him absolutely no harm just to support you for once rather than try to impose what <em>he </em>thought was best.  </p><p>“No! Severus I’ve been looking forward to this all month! Besides, you heard McGonagall, Flich is heading to the dungeons as we speak. We’d be better off going our own way then risking going back now.” </p><p>Turning around, you pushed the door open and walked back out to the Entrance Hall. Without looking back, you marched straight out towards the courtyard and like a faithful puppy, you heard Severus’ footsteps following swiftly behind you. At this point, you had begun to wonder if you truly should have gone on your own but the feeling of his nimble fingers brushing against your palm before his hand firmly took yours reminded you of the joy of sharing such moments with him. You loved him and wanted him there with you as you gazed up at the stars enjoying one of the last nights you would have at Hogwarts. </p><p>You both walked in silence as you continued to lead him around the parameter of the Black Lake, further and further towards the Forbidden Forest. You were fairly certain at this point you were safe from any staff members, but you knew no words had to be said for either of you to understand the other. Silence was your place of comfort. It’s where your relationship started and where you’d always find yourselves again regardless of any disagreements. </p><p>The sun had almost set, and the air had begun to cool as the wind settled down for the night. You were nearly there, and the excitement of tonight’s event began to settle back into your chest, any worry of being caught melting away as you thought of how you were going to spend your night with Severus under the stars. You were so close to finally reaching your spot when Severus slowed to a stop near the bottom of the hill hidden behind the forest. </p><p>“Our first date?” he whispered, his eyes sparkling with memories as he shifted his gaze from the hilltop to you. You simply smiled and nodded, placing your hand over his arm and pulling him closer. You’d hoped that he’d enjoy a night in the spot where you’d had your first official date atop the hill he’d found years before, secluded from the rest of the school. You’d loved its location the first time he’d taken you there; the view of the castle reminding you of the first time you’d arrived at Hogwarts, staring at it in its entirety from the boats taking you to your new home. You knew how important that spot was to him so you knew going back there too often would ruin its allure. And thus, you waited for the perfect moment to return to the spot where he felt safe and comfortable, where you’d shared your first kiss and declared your love for one another.</p><p>Severus smiled back, a smirk appearing on his face wider than you’d ever thought you’d live to see and this time, he was the one to surprise you as he began walking at an alarming rate up the hill. You’d almost fallen over from the sudden motion, your hands still firmly connected as you jogged to keep up with him. Your soft giggles filled the delicate air around you with amour as you stopped and peered over the sun setting behind the castle, illuminating it with a halo. The night had yet to begin and the setting was already so perfect. </p><p>Offering a hand to Severus, you took one side of the blanket and helped him lay it out on the grass. Quickly taking off your shoes, you crawled up towards him and finally settled yourself down with one arm over his chest and your head lying on his shoulder. Severus’ hair sprawled out as soon as he laid down on the blanket, holding you closely as he shut his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of your warmth against the cool chill of the outdoors. He’d never told you how much he appreciated you, but he hoped you knew that he loved everything you’d ever done for him.</p><p>After a short moment, you propped yourself up, leaning on your elbow. Your smile grew when you saw his own, complimenting the blissful look he wore on his face. You could hardly push back the urge to reciprocate his silent ‘I told you so’ from before and though you were glad he’d finally approved of your planned evening together, you couldn’t help but make some sort of comment. “Enjoying yourself?”</p><p>“Shut up,” he mumbled, lightly rolling his eyes. You giggled at his defensive tone and slowly slid a hand up his chest, resting it over his shoulder. </p><p>“Fine,” you whispered as you leaned forward. You fluttered your eyes, pausing as his lips brushed yours. He jolted forwards in an attempt to connect them, but your hand on his chest kept him down, your lips escaping his as you smiled. You felt his lips tug into a smirk, your breath lightly brushing against his skin before you finally pressed your lips together. You kissed him with a touch so soft, your lips barely moving against his, the sweet taste shared between you so strong that it almost felt like cotton candy melting in your mouth. </p><p>Severus slowly rose a hand to tangle his fingers in your hair as the other lazily found your waist. A moment had barely passed before you felt him pressing your lips closer together, your kiss slowly losing its gentle allure, replaced by a growing need to merge with the other. Without parting, you slowly threw a leg over him, straddling him as your chest lowered itself against his. His hands eagerly went to your waist, one of his legs slightly raising itself as you parted for air. Your lips hovered over one other as you both raced to catch your breath. </p><p>You slowly felt his hands move from your waist, down to your hips, only stopping at the hem of your skirt when you suddenly pressed your lips against his. You could feel him take in a sharp breath with your surprise kiss, his chest frozen when you parted rather quickly. You smirked at him before moving both your arms to rest on the sides of his head, your lips kissing the corner of his mouth before you slowly started trailing them down towards his jaw and following it towards his neck. You left small love marks below his ear as you felt his hands slowly slipping beneath your skirt to find the smooth skin of your thighs. </p><p>Severus let out a sigh, relishing in the contrast of the heat between you and the cool air of the night. You’d switched over to the other side of his neck, shifting down enough to give him a full view of the sky. </p><p>“(Y/N),” he whispered to get your attention. “The sun’s set. Look.”</p><p>Pausing your motions, you lifted yourself off him and settled in his lap as you looked up to where he’d gestured. Smiling, you watched the subtle twinkle of the early stars appearing against the darkening night sky. Looking to your side, you saw the moon shining brighter than you’d ever seen before, it’s edges crisp and as white as the clouds on a sunny day.  </p><p>“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” you said, enchanted by the creamy sky, stars slowly beginning to appear one at a time. With the stress of your N.E.W.Ts coming up, you’d almost forgotten what if felt like to be relaxed. You were happy you’d picked a spot outside to watch the stars tonight, the light breeze you felt was a much needed upgrade to the thick air you’d been used to while cramped in the library these last few weeks.  </p><p>“Yes, it is,” Severus whispered back to you. It was hard to look away from the mesmerizing sight but the hands you felt on your thighs slowly slipping down brought your attention back to him only to find he hadn’t been looking at the sky. Instead of reflecting the stars from above, his eyes twinkled with its own allure for you. </p><p>“You’re not even looking!” you giggled, lightly pushing down on his chest to tease him before you removed yourself from him completely and lay on your side, propped up on your elbow. </p><p>“I am!” His tone of course protested your claim, but his eyes still tuck to yours, his smile complimenting the shine they held against those black orbs. You reciprocated his grin and gently settled yourself to rest your head on his shoulder. His fingers immediately ran along your hairline as he tucked a few strands behind your ear. </p><p>It embarrassed you at first, the way he’d spend what felt like hours at a time staring at your face, his eyes roaming over every feature until they finally settled back to match your own. You knew he especially loved when you’d put your hair up though you suspect he’d rather enjoyed the tease of having to push aside your hair when it was down. You’d gotten so used to this little routine of his over the past year, it honestly stopped bothering you a while ago.  </p><p>The way he looked at you, you’d never seen anyone look at another human being like that before. It made you feel special, like you were the most important person to have ever walked the earth and of course, to a Slytherin, that gratitude he offered you meant a great deal, especially when you knew how much more he needed such assurance than you. But it hadn’t taken you long for you to return that longing look he gave you because he truly did mean the world to you. He was everything you’d imagined in a partner; loyal, caring, supportive, loving. You’d never imagined falling in love with someone who’d also carried so much baggage with them, but it was his past and his traumas that made <em>him </em>so special and naturally, you were the only one to recognize that. </p><p>“(Y/N)?” The distantly muffled sound of your name echoed in your head as your eyes fluttered open. You took a deep break in when you realized you’d fallen asleep on Severus’ chest. “(Y/N) wake up. Look!” </p><p>Opening your eyes, you slowly raised yourself off him to see Severus pointing at the sky with a smile on his face. Looking up, you searched the stars a moment until you saw it. A quick flash of blue light disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. Not a moment later, you saw another flash; a purple spot in the sky lighting up as it flickered and moved closer to where you saw the blue light. </p><p>“It’s starting!” You exclaimed as you quickly scrambled to sit up and search your robes. You pulled out two objects that looked like muggle binoculars taken from the 19th century and gave Severus one as you laid back down next to him, bringing the other to your eyes. You searched the skies once again, the stars larger and your view much more narrow than before. Your heart beat heavily against your chest, hoping the man you’d bought these mystic objects from during your last Hogsmeade trip hadn’t made false claims when he said they would help you see the Luminous Dancing Fairies set to migrate during the next eclipse. Of course, you didn’t have a reference of what to expect when looking through them since no one had managed to spot them long enough to obtain a proper description, but you hoped you’d at least see more than simple flashes of light. “Wow!”</p><p>Fairies began dancing within your view, their wings sparkling with light as they twirled, each with a colour of their own. More and more appeared in the sky as they continued on their way and you noticed the majority shone with blue and purple lights though on occasion, you would spot one with green, yellow or red wings. But the ones with white wings were your favourite. They appeared to be the rarest of their kind yet they shone the brightest of them all, the flashes they emitted almost blinding through those binoculars. </p><p>“They’re much more… Energetic than I’d imagined,” Severus said. He himself wasn’t sure what to expect tonight, though he was happy you’d dragged him along to be a part of history. To be one of the first to get a proper glimpse at the creatures Wizard kind spent decades studying from a far, wondering what sort of stories they carried with them as they flew across the galaxy.</p><p>“Really? I suppose they have to be if they have to travel for so long.” You smiled at the sound of his curious tone, happy he’d managed to find some interest in the night’s event. </p><p>“Thanks for planning this,” he said softly, a small bit of reluctancy present in his voice. He’d regretted giving you such a hard time the last few weeks when it came to your plans for tonight, but even he could admit when he was wrong. Truthfully, the inevitability for your lives diverging after graduation scared him, stressing him out more than usual these last few weeks. He’d spent so long trying to hold onto his relationship with you, focused on spending as much time with you as possible, he’d forgotten what it truly felt like to be <em>with </em>you. He finally felt a sense of comfort tonight and all it took was a simple night under the stars away from any worries of the future. </p><p>Setting down the binoculars, you turned over to see his smile shining back at you, his eyes shining almost as bright as the fairies dancing between the stars. You lost yourself in the loving look he gave, hoping the night would never end and he’d learn to let loose a little. Leaning in, you pecked him on his lips, keeping your eyes closed when you parted as your nose stayed an inch from his. You loved the experience of watching the Luminous Dancing Fairies Migrate of course, but sitting here with Severus, watching him enjoy the night with you was what had truly pushed you to plan such a night with him. You knew the night would have turned out perfectly even if those binoculars didn’t work as they were advertised because Severus’ company would have made the night completely worthwhile. </p><p>You could never put into words how much you loved him. He had his flaws of course, everyone did but you just couldn’t help the feeling when you first met that he was different to those you’d spoken to, that he was somehow meant for you. Soulmate was quite a strong word to define it and you knew that if you hadn’t grown close to one another as friends before you started dating, you wouldn’t feel the way you did right now. But when you met, when you first started chatting over absolute nonsense, you couldn’t shake the feeling of comfort, a feeling you’d only get if you’d known someone a very long time.  </p><p>Finally opening your eyes, you snuggled into him, your hand wrapped around his waist, your head laid on his shoulder and your pair of binoculars completely disregarded. You had your fill of the stars tonight and all you needed now was a bit of comfort from the boy you cared so deeply for.</p><p>“You’re going to miss the fairies,” he whispered, his own binoculars pushed to the side as he peered down at you, his arms snaking around you and pulled you into him as tightly as he could. The air around you settled as you felt his heart beginning to race against his chest, his own disregard for the stars clear as the moon that shone above. </p><p>“I don’t care,” you mumbled back, closing your eyes as your smile stretched wider than before. Severus was hardly one to complain, enjoying the gentle pressure of your weight on his chest much more than watching the fairies dancing in the sky. You both got comfortable as you cuddled together, oblivious to your surroundings and brushing off the subtle sounds of rustling around the edges of the forest to the wind.</p><p>“At least two a yer found a spot without disturbin’ half the forest.” You both jolted from your place, turning towards the familiar voice behind you, your hearts stopping as your eyes met with the half giant staring down at you. </p><p>“Shit,” you cursed under your breath as you scrambled to jump to your feet, Severus following swiftly after. Everything had gone so well, you’d enjoyed your time under the stars and completely forgotten you were breaking curfew, letting your guard down and ultimately, getting yourself caught by the gamekeeper. But worst of all, Severus had trusted you and you’d completely let him down. His punishment was to be shared with your own for the mistake <em>you’d</em> made. </p><p>“Come along then. I’ll take yeh back to the castle,” Hagrid said, gesturing for you to follow. The joy you felt not a moment ago shriveled into nothingness as you looked back at Severus to find him folding up the blanket, already saying goodbye to the wholesome night you were supposed to share together. Pushing down the regret you felt, you walked over to help Severus before looking up at him, your brows furrowed and your eyes heavy with shame. </p><p><em>‘Sorry</em>,’ you mouthed, your heart dropping when he looked away. He was upset with you and rightfully so. You’d promised him nothing would go wrong, that this would be a night worth remembering and of course, it was, you just hadn’t imagined it ending this way. You anticipated nothing more than anger from him if you had gotten caught, but no matter how much you told yourself you could handle it, you just couldn’t bear the disappointment that radiated off of him as you both began to follow Hagrid back to the castle.</p><p>The next few minutes went by agonizingly slow and you felt like you were walking to the chopping block, your relationship to be cut in half and killed forever. The agony you felt, each step heavier than the last was unbearable. You wanted nothing more than to reverse time and keep Hagrid from catching you. You would have even settled with going back to the moment you left the common room and just spent the night in there instead of living through this awful moment. The loss of house points and detention you could bear, but you couldn’t come to terms with the disappointment Severus threw your way. You’d offer to take Severus’ punishment and double your detention if you could, anything to keep Severus from suffering through the consequences of a mistake you’d made. </p><p>But how bad could it be if Hagrid was the one to catch you? Your punishment would likely be endless if Slughorn or McGonagall caught you. But the heart wrenching thought that Severus would remain angry with you, possibly wishing to never speak to you again seeded itself in the back of your mind. You couldn’t imagine going forward without him by your side. He was your rock, your support, your best friend and you could hardly go on knowing you’d lost someone so important to you. The spiral you’d fallen into had removed you from reality and you’d found yourself going through the motions once again, trying to keep from drowning in this overwhelmed state you’d known all too well. </p><p>Your body went into autopilot as you felt your breath taken away from you. Struggling to breath, you tried to run from the barrels of emotions dumped into your mind until you felt the slightest brush of a familiar warmth grasp for your hand and pull you to safety. You’d snapped back to the real world just as fast as you’d left it to find Severus’s fingertips brushing against your palm and with one sly move, your hand was in his. Your mind was blank, all thoughts of his anger towards you vanished as you looked down at your intertwined hands, his grip on you tightening as the seconds passed. </p><p>Looking up, your eyes met the softened expression on his face. His eyes gleaming in the moonlight, conveying his love for you. Smiling, your shoulders lightened knowing he wouldn’t let one disappointing night ruin what you’d built together over these last few years. After everything you’d both been through, doubting the bond you had with him was something he could never comprehend, but he’d come to recognize the look of despair on your face and quickly learned that a simple gesture was all you needed to remind you of your inseparable connection. Walking hand in hand, you realized that though your night was over, you’d got to enjoy what little of it you had together as you would finish your journey at Hogwarts together. Nothing could spoil your love for him, and you were happy to face any consequences thrown your way if you were to face them with him by your side.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Treasure</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You find yourself reaping the consequences of breaking school rules last nigh in detention.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A/N: Ah, it’s been a while. Sorry I’ve been so scarce, life is just hard sometimes. I think I’m going to focus on my entry for the Snape Bang before I try getting back into LSL but hopefully I’ll be more active soon. I hope you like part 2 of my entry for @moonie-writes‘s writing challenge and thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Plates filled with sandwiches, wraps, salads and chips filled the Great Hall as you entered, thoughts of last night beginning to seep back in as you walked to the end of the Slytherin table with Severus. You’d hardly slept last night after how your night had ended and neither of you felt the need to leave the dorm for breakfast, so you stayed. Even when you snuck into the boy’s dorm to snuggle up next to Severus, sleep continued to evade you and you knew you weren’t the only restless one last night. If the circle under his eyes hadn’t given away his tired state, his constant movements last night surely did. Neither of you had spoken a single word to one another since last night, yet you each knew how the other felt. The silence was your only comfort. It was the one place where you knew you’d both find one another again if either of you ever felt lost and even now, sitting next to him as you nibbled on some fruit, you could sense his amenity. </p><p>Your palm warmed at his icy touch, his fingers slowly grazing the inside of your hand as your eyes met his. Your own fingers played with his a moment before seeking to interlock and rest in place. A smile made its way to your lips as you looked up at his peaceful expression. His love for you had always astounded you. Sure, he was never one to express how he felt for you in traditional manners but it meant that much more to you knowing that he’d stepped away from his own place of comfort to share his feelings with you. You knew you’d never forget last night the same way the day he’d first spoken those three words to you had created a memory you knew would stick with you for the rest of your life. It felt like such simple times back then, yet it was only a couple months ago. You’d found an empty compartment as the Hogwarts express left for Hogwarts and you’d spent the ride there doing nothing more than sharing your dreams for your last year at Hogwarts with one another when he’d suddenly whispered <em>I love you</em>. He was so sure of himself, like he’d planned it out the entire summer you were apart. The way he looked at you, the way he kissed you when you returned the gesture, it was the same compassion he wore right now. He loved you with everything he had, and you knew in that moment like you did now that nothing could ever change that. </p><p>The sudden gush of air from above tore your gaze from each other as everyone turned their attention to the owls flying above, seeking for the recipients of the letters tied to their legs. You knew you weren’t expecting a letter and you’d never once seen Severus receive anything from his parents so you turned back to face him, about to speak when two owls landed on the table right in front of you and Severus. They both stuck out their legs, offering you the letter they carried but you didn’t have to untie them to know what message they’d brought you. You’d recognized them as school owls and since Hagrid had failed to mention what punishment you’d be facing last night, you assumed he’d managed to remember today, just in time to ruin your lunch. Hesitantly, you both reached out to untie the letters, letting the owls reward themselves with a bit of your food as you unfolded the letter and read:</p><p>
  <em>Your detention will begin tonight. Professor Kettleburn has asked for some help preparing for her lessons this week so you will be spending the night outdoors. Dress appropriately and meet me near the edge of the pumpkin patch tonight at 8:00 pm. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hagrid</em>
</p><p>“Well, it could be worse,” you said, stuffing the letter in your pocket. Severus let out a frustrated sigh as he leaned forward and let his hair fall around the sides of his face. </p><p>“I’d rather scrub first year cauldron then deal with whatever creature Hagrid wants us to tackle,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him. He could hardly imagine what kind of danger you would both be facing tonight after seeing the way the Gamekeeper interacted with all those creatures throughout the years. It was as if they were nothing more than harmless pets trained to be as loving as a dog but of course, every student at Hogwarts knew better. Severus ran his fingers through his hair as he tried not to think about tonight, hoping you would both leave detention unscathed.   </p><p>“It’ll be fine,” you said, carefully running your index finger along his hairline and tucking his hair behind his ear. Your gentle voice accompanied by your swift touch soothed him. He could simply melt in his chair if you continued to show such compassion for him.  </p><p>Slowly, he reached up to grab the hand caressing his cheek. Taking a moment, he pressed his lips into your palm as he lost himself in your eyes. He’d gotten so used to leaning on your support so much over the past year, he could hardly believe he’d ever lived without it. At times, he’d take a moment to remind himself that what he had with you was a privilege, one that he knew he had to do everything in his power to protect. He was lucky to have found you, to have someone he cared for return his love and to put to rest the lonely bitter boy he’d once been, replaced by a man full of potential. </p><p>“Care to go for a walk?” He asked in a low, soothed tone. Being in this room, surrounded by students with Professors peering over everyone wasn’t something he was particularly fond of, especially with the dread he felt over his upcoming detention weighing him down. He needed to get out of here as he knew you would too. </p><p>Smiling, you nodded your head as you turned your hand around so your palm was facing his. You stood on your feet and gripped him tightly, leaving behind your unfinished lunch along with the grief you felt when those letters arrived. You’d only just stepped outside the Great Hall and already you felt lighter. Walking closer to Severus, you placed your free hand over his arm, cuddling it as you leaned into him, letting him lead you to the Entrance Hall. </p><p>Severus walked out towards the empty courtyard and looked up at the same sky once flashing with lights now completely clear, filled with a soft blue. Absentmindedly, he began walking towards the same place he’d usually go to in a time of distress, the same place he’d learned to share with you and you alone; the hilltop behind the Black Lake next to the Forbidden Forest.</p><p>It wasn’t a surprise to either of you that you’d ended up back here, laying on the grass beside one another, silently enjoying the last breeze of the spring air. You’d always ended up back here whenever Severus felt the need to break away from reality and spend some time alone with nothing but his thoughts. You found him here the day after Lily had so publicly ended their friendship, the day of your first kiss, the day you were meant to head home for the Holidays in December and each time, you’d simply joined him, sitting in silence until he’d found his way back to you, his hand slipping into yours.</p><p>This was the first time you’d both shown up together, the first time your fingers had been locked between his before you’d settled into the grass and it almost felt like the gesture had solidified the bond between you, entwining your souls forever. You were no longer one person comforting the other but a couple sharing in your worries, emotions, pain and joy. You feel in love sharing the silence of the library and now here you were ending this chapter of your life together int eh same way. </p><p>Time flew by as you sat there with Severus, watching the sky slowly darken, few words exchanged between you both. You wanted to sit there with him until the Hogwarts Express came to take you away one last time but as you looked at your watch and realized the time, any sort of peace you’d found the last few hours slowly sizzled away. You groaned into his chest, wrapping your arm around his waist and hugging him as tightly as you could. Closing your eyes, you thought of what might have happened to your weekend if you hadn’t been caught last night, staying up late with Severus, reading with him until you fell asleep in his arms, running your fingers through his hair as you both cuddled the day away. But you were hardly one to complain when you were to blame for the detention you’d both received instead. </p><p>“It’s time isn’t it?” Severus whispered lowly, watching you protest against him as the sun slowly began to set. You nuzzled into him further and mumbled incoherently. Severus sighed as he loosened his grip on you, squeezing your shoulder as he looked up at the sky one last time before lifting himself up and propping himself onto his elbows. </p><p>You let out another groan when you felt him moving beneath you, frowning as you lifted your head from off his chest and looked up at him. Sitting with your legs crossed on the grass, you looked down at your lap in disappointment, the small sliver of hope that your detention would have somehow been cancelled by now lost. “Sev, I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“For what?” he asked, confused at your sudden apology. </p><p>“It’s my fault we have detention. I ruined our last few weeks at Hogwarts,” you explained, wrapping your arms around yourself, keeping your head low in shame. </p><p>Severus had never seen you like this before and it worried him. Did you really think all the blame of what happened last night feel on you? And how could you possibly believe you’d <em>ruined</em> your last few memories at Hogwarts together? The only thing he could possibly imagine ruining his seventh year is if he’d managed to lose you. He was happy, he was always happy so long as he was with you, even if you were sharing detention together, at least you were sharing it as a couple. </p><p>“(Y/N),” he said, gently placing a hand on your shoulder, scouting over to sit next to you, his thighs pressed against yours. “Detention isn’t going to ruin our final year.”</p><p>He knew his words meant nothing, that you were too far in your head to believe him but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help reassure your conclusion was false. Slowly, he pushed aside your hair, trying to catch your attention but you simply refused to lift up your gaze. “(Y/N), look at me.”</p><p>He could feel you ever so slightly relax beneath his touch, your eyes slowly turning towards him. His palm naturally rested on your cheek as your eyes met and he could see all the pain and blame weighing on you beneath the depth of your iris. No words were exchanged as you both revealed in the presence of the other and as he stared into your eyes, he could sense your burden lighten, released under the weights of pressure you’d created. </p><p>Eventually, your smile returned to your face and he felt your weight shift as you lunged at him, arms wrapped around his shoulders. His chest filled with warmth, his hands placed on your back as he hugged you. It always astounded him how powerful your connection with him was, stronger than any magic he’d studied over the years and as you found comfort in that strength right now, he’d found the same would apply to him when he needed it most. </p><p>“I love you,” he mumbled into the crook of your neck. </p><p>“I love you too,” you replied, your smile stretching from ear to ear as you pulled him in closer. Taking in a deep breath, you slowly let go enough to rise to your feet. Hand-in-hand, you both made your way around the Forbidden Forest to begin your detention together. You weren’t afraid nor were you worried about whatever punishment you were to endure for the mistakes you’d made last night. Severus was right there beside you and you knew that no matter what happened tonight, you had him to lean on. </p><p>“Come round, all o’ yeh,” spoke Hagrid, gesturing for you and the others who were unfortunate (or perhaps fortunate) enough to get caught after dark last night by him to follow to the other side of the pumpkin patch behind his hut. Looking around at the others, whatever remaining guilt you felt began to fade as you realized you weren’t the only one last night caught admiring the stars, and you certainly weren’t the only Slytherins to be caught during Hagrid’s patrol around the Forbidden Forest. </p><p>“Most o’ yeh should recognize these furry creatures-” he started his spiel, pointing out the nifflers running around in the designated area he’d created for them. “They’ve jus arrived an’ i need yeh ter help me prepare ‘em fer Professor Kettleburn’s class tomorrow.”</p><p>You and Severus exchanged a quick look before turning your attention back to the hyper energetic creatures bouncing from one corner of their playground to the next. Though you really weren’t a fan of the havoc wrecking creatures, your detention definitely could have been a lot worse, especially if you were assigned to someone other than Hagrid. You were both suddenly very glad you’d chosen to take Care of Magical Creatures in your fourth year, realizing everyone else that was here had also likely taken the class and learned about Nifflers. </p><p>“Before we begin, remove anything shiny an’ place ‘em in here.” Hagrid pulled out a small box, walking around between the students as they removed any jewelry, pins or clips and placed it into the box. You quickly undid your watch then reached around the back of your neck to undo your necklace and place both items in the box. </p><p>You were heartbroken to part without the small charm Severus had gifted you, secretly housing the vial of Liquid Luck he’d won in Potions last year. You could still remember that day like it was yesterday, jealous that Severus was the only one in the class that had managed to almost complete the challenge Slughorn had set but that jealousy slowly turned into pride as you spoke to him after class. He’d brushed it off so easily but you could tell he was truly skilled in the art of potion making which you knew you could never compare to and for the first time, that was okay. He deserved the prize he’d won and so imagine your surprise when you found out a year later he’d saved it all this time. </p><p>He was strategic, holding it for a desperate time, one he’d claimed he’d almost reached over the summer but he’d held on, letting life kick him down and fighting his own way to get back up again. You didn’t want to accept the gift at first, feeling the pressure was too much for you to carry, even his words weren’t enough to convince you he was making the right choice. But the way he looked at you, the trust he conveyed when he’d asked you to keep his vial of Felix Felicis was like something out of a movie. You’d never felt the way you had that day, like you could <em>feel</em> his trust with a simple look into his eyes and you’d become a simple agent of love, doing her bidding, following your instincts. You took the vial and promised yourself you’d find the right time to use it, a time that would benefit Severus most. </p><p>“Now, watch carefully,” spoke Hagrid as he set the box aside. You tore your eyes from where your necklace sat and tried to focus on the gamekeeper instead as he approached the Nifflers. “Yeh don’ wan’ ter scare 'em when yeh go ter grab 'em. Carefully pick 'em up, an’ gently hold 'em by their ankles outside the gate an’ let the items fall out o’ their pouch.” </p><p>Hagrid did as his instructions demanded, and you watched a few coins and trinkets fall out of the pouch of the niffler in the hands of the giant man. </p><p>“Yeh wan’ ter put 'em back inside the fence before picking up the items which yeh can place here.” Hagrid placed the Niffler back with the others and went to gather the items that had fallen to the ground and place them inside another, larger box. Placing that box far enough away from the Nifflers, he then instructed everyone to spread themselves out along the fence and empty out the pouches of all the nifflers. You and Severus made your way to the edge of the enclosed area, setting yourselves down to do as you were instructed. </p><p>Severus watched a few of the others catch a niffler before reaching over the fence to find one of his own. They were a lot more agile than he’d first remembered and he very quickly learned why this task was being given as detention. Each time he’d try and lift one off the ground, it would slip out of his hand and run around as if it was playing some sort of game with him. There was no doubt in his mind, scrubbing cauldrons until his fingers fell off was a much more merciful punishment than this. </p><p>“Blast!” Severus grunted as another one escaped his grasp for the third time. Looking over at you, he saw you smiling as you held your first niffler, carefully hoisting it over the fence and emptying its pouch. The niffler immediately tried to grab the silver pen that had fallen to the ground and you lost your grip on one of its legs. Your smile slowly faded, and Severus could tell you were panicking over letting the creature loose. </p><p>Quickly, he reached out and did the best he could to contain the niffler, grasping it as you struggled to regain your own grip. You looked over to the gate and Severus helped you put down the niffler before it could cause you any more trouble.</p><p>“Maybe this will be easier if we worked together,” you suggested, thankful Severus was there to help avert the havoc created by a loose niffler. Picking up the pen, you walked over to the box of trinkets and tossed it in. Severus agreed to work with you when you returned and the second niffler you caught seemed to have given a lot less of a fight when you removed the items from its pouch. Soon enough, every niffler was free of trinkets and Hagrid had begun instructing you to feed them. </p><p>As Hagrid passed around the bag of treats, Severus felt a sense of relief wash over him. He was beyond happy detention hadn’t turned out dangerous enough to put your lives in jeopardy. He stole a few glances from you as you both fed the nifflers, glad you’d managed to find a sense of peace after all that happened last night. You seemed much calmer now and perhaps that was due to the time you’d spent today comforting one another in silence. You’d always found such amenity when you both sat there without sharing a single word together much like the nifflers that had begun to curl up in their own corners after being fed, clearly exhausted from the long day they’ve had.  </p><p>Once all the nifflers seemed to have settled in, Hagrid went around handing everyone back their belongings. Looking back at the nifflers, you felt yourself relax. They looked so happy as they fell asleep one by one. Smiling, you slowly placed your hand over Severus’, his fingers curling around yours as you both simply watched the creatures ruffle lightly in their sleep. </p><p>“<b>They’re so cute when they’re asleep</b> and not running all over the place,” you spoke softly, admiring the nifflers and the way they cuddled up to one another. </p><p>“After all that, you’re going to call them <em>cute</em>?” He was a bit taken back by your comment, wondering if you’d actually served the same detention or if the absolute nightmare he’d just been through was one he’d made up in his head. </p><p>“Well they are! Look at them!” You let out a small giggle as you gestured to all the nifflers, laying on the grass. </p><p>“They’re evil.”</p><p>“Severus! They aren’t <em>evil</em>. Don’t be so dramatic.” You watched him roll his eyes as you lectured him. He always seemed to exaggerate situations to a comical point and though you found it humorous, you worried about him sometimes. You didn’t want him to miss out on all the positive things in life simply because he refused to let go of the negatives. </p><p>“One of them tried to bite off my finger,” he countered, absolutely baffled with how you could possibly defend the creatures you’d both spent the last two hours battling. </p><p>“Because you held it too tightly!”</p><p>“I did no such thing,” he said, denying your claims. Hagrid came by and handed you back your belongings which you immediately clasped back on. Your watch wasn’t anything of importance, but your necklace meant more to you than anyone could ever know. </p><p>“I can’t believe you still wear that,” Severus said as he watched it dangle around your neck while you secure it in place. Letting it drop to your chest, you traced its outline before tucking it under your shirt. </p><p>“You never know when you might need it,” you smiled at him, as you settled back. Severus’ eyes stayed locked on the necklace under your shirt, wondering why you felt the need to carry it around like that. The day he gave it to you, he’d done it because he knew that he’d likely use it for the wrong reason; get back at Potter, try and regain Lily’s friendship or even help Slytherin win a game of Quidditch against Gryffindor. Giving it to you was his way of using it responsibly because he knew you were calculated, he knew that when you decided to use it, it would be for a good reason. </p><p>“We could have used it last night,” he joked, knowing it would have prevented Hagrid from finding you. Maybe you would have even gotten to enjoy something more than a few cuddles and kisses under the stars.</p><p>“I suppose we could have,” you smirked back at him. You wondered for a moment how things would have turned out if you had decided to use his liquid luck last night though you knew that ultimately, there would come a moment in both your lives when you would need it most, especially since there was a war awaiting you in the real world after you graduated. Whatever the future had in store for you and Severus, you only hoped you could face it together, because together, you would survive and together you would overcome anything that came your way.</p>
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